Rodrigo Bentancur was today handed a seven-game ban by the Football Association for comments he made about Tottenham team-mate and South Korea captain Son Heung-min.
Bentancur, who was also fined £100,000, will miss six Premier League games – and the EFL Cup quarter-final against Manchester United – as a result and won’t appear for Spurs in the league again until Boxing Day at the earliest.
He can, however, play in the Europa League.
But why was he sanctioned and yet Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has no case to answer from the FA despite allegedly doing similar while on international duty with Argentina?
The case against Bentancur
The Uruguay midfielder was found guilty by the FA of an aggravated breach of FA Rule E3.2, using abusive and/or insulting words with a reference – whether express or implied – to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin.
He appeared on the television show Pro La Camiseta in his homeland in June. Host Rafa Cotelo asked for a Spurs player’s shirt to which Bentancur replied by saying: “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”
Bentancur swiftly expressed remorse for his words, but denied the FA charge.
An independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a seven-match suspension and £100,000 fine on Rodrigo Bentancur for a breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to a media interview.
Full statement: https://t.co/dr5Jw7Fwhq pic.twitter.com/yhJ2mhOPtC
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) November 18, 2024
The case against Fernandez
Fernandez posted a song on social media shortly after Argentina’s Copa America final win over Colombia on June 14.
The video showed Argentina’s players repeating a chant that questioned the heritage of France’s black and mixed-race players.
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana described the video as “uninhibited racism” while it was reported the club’s other French players were equally unhappy.
Chelsea opted not to take any disciplinary action against Fernandez after he issued a face-to-face apology to his team-mates.
So, why has Bentancur been banned and Enzo Fernandez has not?
Simply, it comes down to jurisdiction.
Fernandez’s alleged indiscretion came while he was at the Copa America, therefore it falls to FIFA and/or CONMEBOL to sanction the Argentine.
If he is punished, it will only apply to international games.
Bentancur conducted the interview with Cotelo in his own time, and therefore, it falls under the Premier League’s jurisdiction to take action.
FIFA said in July it is conducting an investigation into Fernandez’s video, although there has not been an update since then.